by Tiffany Alexanderson
The Kingdom of Magnolia prospers under the rule of its young queen. From her palace balconies, Lavinia watches her lands thrive, passing her days among ancient magnolia gardens and gilded ceremonies of peace. But beneath the ballrooms and behind diplomacy’s velvet curtains, a conspiracy claws at the heart of the realm. Far from the palace walls, rebellion burns - and the people call not for reform, but for her head. When Lavinia uncovers proof that her council has ruled - and brutalized - the kingdom in her name, her sheltered life shatters. Stripped of illusion and authority alike, she is rescued by a ragged resistance that needs her face as their banner. To them, she is a symbol. To herself, she is a question. Forced from ritual into reckoning, Lavinia must seize her stolen power, expose the conspiracy, and rally a fractured nation. In the mud and blood of a divided kingdom, she learns that leadership is not a crown polished on a mirror - but a burden carried into the fire. --- This story is quite different from what I'm used to writing, and it is very much a rough draft, so bear with me here.
